Broadwind Energy Inc., an Illinois-based company that provides components and services to the wind industry, has announced plans to eliminate its chief operating officer (COO) position. The company says it is making management changes to better align the business for growth.

As a result, Jesse E. Collins Jr., executive vice president, COO and interim president of the company's services business, will be leaving Broadwind. Collins will continue leading the services business until the end of the year.

Meanwhile, Broadwind says it has initiated a search for a vice president and general manager to lead the services business, focusing on growing its wind turbine gearbox repair business and expanding its in-field services offering into adjacent industrial markets.

The company has also named Mark T. Skeen, currently vice president of Abilene tower operations, to the newly created role of vice president and general manager of the company's industrial weldments business.

"As we look at the current needs of the business and our future plans for growth, Jess and I agree that Broadwind no longer needs a chief operating officer,” says Broadwind Energy President and CEO Peter C. Duprey. “Jess and I will collaborate fully during the transition."

“At the same time,” Duprey adds, “we are focused on fully leveraging our core capability in industrial weldments to play a bigger part in the domestic energy renaissance under way in the U.S. To that end, we look forward to benefiting from Mark Skeen's expanded leadership in our industrial weldments business as we extend our capability into the steel, oil and gas, and mining markets."